Sunday, August 20, 2017

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS: 15 AUG 2017

1.
FIRST TRI-SERVICE “INDRA” EXERCISE TO BE CONDUCTED BY INDIA AND RUSSIA IN OCT
2017

i.
India and Russia will hold a major bilateral military exercise in October 2017
involving their armies, navies and the air forces for the 1st time to further
ramp up defense ties. The exercise ‘Indra’, which will be held in Russia in
October 2017, will primarily focus on achieving coordination between forces of
the two countries in a tri- services integrated theater command scenario.

ii.
Russia has been a long-standing defense partner of India and both the countries
are now eyeing to further deepen the ties.

iii.
During PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Russia in June 2017, both countries had
decided to upgrade and intensify defence cooperation through joint manufacture,
co-production and co-development of key military hardware and equipment.

iv.
A vision document issued at the time of PM Modi’s visit to Russia stated that
both the countries have decided to work towards a qualitatively higher level of
military-to-military cooperation.

2.
INDIA’S FIRST RAILWAYS DISASTER MANAGEMENT CENTRE IN BENGALURU

i.
India’s 1st railways disaster management village is expected to come up near
Bengaluru by December 2018, where situations like trains falling into rivers
and coaches catching fire will be replicated and mock rescue operations will be
carried out in real time.

ii.
The Railways Ministry has earmarked the 3.32-sqkm village of Hejjala, with a
population of 3,483 people for this purpose. This Disaster Management Institute
and Safety Village will be set up at a cost of Rs 44.42 cr.

iii.
The village, about 25 km from Bengaluru, will also have a virtual reality
centre for analysis of railway accidents….Click here to view more details

3.
IMMSAREX: INDIA, CHINA TO JOIN INDIAN OCEAN EXERCISE IN NOVEMBER

i.
Despite growing tensions with China, the Indian Navy would join the Chinese
Navy in the maiden International Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise to be
chaired by Bangladesh at the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium in November 2017.

ii.
International Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise will be held in Bay of
Bengal. In addition, Bangladesh is also scheduling an “extraordinary conclave
of Chiefs,” a meeting of chiefs of Navy before it hands over the Chair to Iran
next year.

4.
FETE DE PUDUCHERRY’ FESTIVAL CELEBRATED IN PUDUCHERRY

i.
A 3-day annual cultural festival named ‘Fete de Puducherry’ organized by the
Government of India begins in Puducherry.

ii.
The festival is held in association with the South Zone Cultural Centre (Tamil
Nadu) every year to bring to focus the multi-faceted cultural features of
various states. Artists from 11 states and the union territory of Puducherry will
take part in ‘Fete de Puducherry.

iii.
The festival holding started since 1985 as part of celebrating Independence Day
and also Liberation Day of Puducherry. The fete is celebrated annually on the
occasion of liberation day and the Independence Day of Pondicherry and India
respectively.

5.
IIP OUTPUT CONTRACTS 0.1% IN JUNE 2017

i.
India’s Factory output fell to a 4-year low and contracted by 0.1% in June 2017
with poor performance of manufacturing and mining sectors.

ii.
Since June 2013 this is the lowest growth when the Index of Industrial
Production contracted by 1%. In June 2016, it had grown 8%.

iii.
Manufacturing sector shows negative growth of 0.4% in June from previous May
2017 as 1.2%. Mining output signs positive by 0.4% in June. Electricity
generation showed slow as 2.1% from May 2017 growth recorded 8.28 %.

iv.
Consumer durables output slow down by 2.1% in June 2017 from May 2017. Consumer
non-durables production rose by 4.9%. Capital goods output is a barometer of
investment. It reduced by 6.8% in June 2017.

6.
SANTOSH SHARMA WAS APPOINTED AS CHAIRMAN AND MD OF HINDUSTAN COPPER LIMITED

i.
Santosh Sharma was appointed as Chairman and Managing Director of Hindustan
Copper Limited.He is at present Director (Operations) in the HCL.

ii.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved his appointment to the
post for a period of five years, an order issued by the Department of Personnel
and Training.

iii.
Emandi Sankara Rao has been appointed as Managing Director and Chief Executive
Officer of IFCI Ltd. He is at present working as Director and Chief Executive
Officer of IIFCL Asset Management Company Ltd.

iv.
Rao has been appointed to the post for a period of three years. The ACC has
also approved appointment of Debasis Jana as CMD of Andrew Yule and Co. Ltd,
Kolkata. He is working as Director (Planning) in the same company.